News
Law Office Management
Sep. 2, 2015
Legal Fakes
Emily Morris
Legal Fakes
Aperson claiming to be a law enforcement officer called numerous Northern California
residents last year to say they owed fines because they or their relatives had missed
jury duty. Some such schemes target particularly vulnerable people, but FBI spokeswoman
Laura Eimiller says social media now enable crooks to read up on potential victims
and accrue more credibility than in the past.
This made us think of a couple of fraudulent schemes that have targeted lawyers and
clients over the years.
SCAMS BY FAKE CLIENTS
These usually come in the form of an email from someone asking for legal help collecting
a debt. The lawyer then receives a cashier's check-purportedly the settlement from
the debtor-and is asked to wire the money as soon as possible, not wait until the
check clears. The checks, documents, and websites created to perpetuate these schemes
can be very convincing, according to a State Bar ethics alert. The kicker: Attorneys
bamboozled this way might face State Bar discipline if the transactions involve a
trust account.
SCAMS BY FAKE LAWYERS
According to an FBI statement, a Florida man named Michael Nelson set up a fake law
firm in Atlanta and Los Angeles after finding out that someone who shared his name
belonged to the California State Bar. He hired attorneys and support staff and even
managed to change the details of the California Nelson's State Bar profile. The imposter
initially made off with at least $35,000 from Bay Area victims, but he was indicted
in 2010 and eventually sentenced to 42 months in prison.
#270412
Donna Mallard
Daily Journal Staff Writer
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